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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has vetoed legislation to start the process of allowing industrial hemp growth there, saying the state is “not yet ready” for the crop.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue provided the implementation dates for the 2018 farm bill, saying the first payments to dairy producers could be delivered in July, and he told lawmakers that the White House is working on a comprehensive immigration reform proposal with the help of a USDA adviser.
The legalization of hemp in the 2018 farm bill has led to enthusiasm for the plant’s market prospects, but experts say farmers need to be careful before they leap headlong into the industry.
The Senate Agriculture Committee approved its farm bill on a near-unanimous vote, 20-1, sending the bill to the Senate floor for a debate by the end of the month.
The Republican chairman and the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee hope to release a draft of their farm bill this week, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promises to move it quickly to the floor.
With a farm bill floor debate looming next week, House members have filed more than half a dozen amendments attacking various aspects of the crop insurance program and others seeking to tighten rules for commodity subsidies and to roll back the sugar program.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he plans to introduce legislation to legalize hemp as an agricultural commodity, a familiar move that could help pave the way for more growth in his home state.
